She stood up and stomped with her right foot hard on the wooden floor.When nothing happened, she did it again.Suddenly four young, dirty faces appeared from behind the curtains.One was carrying Erica’s violin and the other had Amanda’s guitar.
“Well, that was the fastest solved case in history,” smirked Luke.
“They can’t hear you either,” she said.“None of ‘em can hear.”
“And they all play?” asked Hex.
She nodded and pointed to them.Alec could tell it was a crude, rough form of sign language.Some of it was correct, some of it was obviously just learned signals.
One of the children lifted the violin and began playing the most haunting melody they’d ever heard, the piano still playing behind them.Then it was the flute and guitar.
They couldn’t help it.Even if they had wanted to, they wouldn’t have been able to help themselves.They were sobbing.
“Alec, explain this to me, brother,” said Tailor.
“I wish I could.I need to get Keith down here.”
“I just texted him,” said Cam.“He’s visiting the center to see Molly and Asia.He’s on his way.He should be here in a few minutes.”
The children never even looked at them.They were so lost in the playing of the instruments, the could have cared less if anyone was near them or not.
“Hey.What’s going on?”signed Keith.“I can feel the music.It’s beautiful.”
“Well, I’m glad you can feel it,” said Alec, signing to his son, “but all these children, except Sutton, the beautiful little lady there, are deaf.”
Keith looked at his father and chuckled, then saw the serious expressions on all their faces.He looked back at the children and moved toward them, signing.Alec tapped his shoulder.
“I don’t think any of them are fluent in ASL.”
“I know some,” said the little girl.“I just don’t think any of them learned all the way.I mean, we talk but it’s different.I usually write notes.”
Keith nodded at the little girl, then turned, staring at the others.He walked toward the piano and lay his hand on the top of it, feeling the vibrations of the music.It hit his soul so hard, his knees nearly buckled.
“Sutton, where do you live, honey?” asked Luke.
“It’s an old house.It’s boarded up but I got a lock on the door so no one bothers us.”
“But you stole those instruments,” said Cam.She swallowed and nodded.
“Yes, sir.It’s the only thing they want.Music.It’s the only thing that makes ‘em happy.I’m sorry but I’ve been takin’ food when I can and other things.I’ll pay it back.I swear but please don’t take me from my brother and all of them.”
“Sutton, you need a safe place to live.All of you,” said Hex.“We have a place where’d you be safe, well-fed, clothed, and you’d even get music lessons if you wanted them.”
“Are there doctors there?” she frowned.Luke looked at the others and nodded.
“We have doctors and nurses.Good doctors and nurses who help people when they’re sick.Are you sick?Is someone here sick?”
“No.No, sir,” she said.“The doctors hurt ‘em.All of ‘em. That’s why we ran.”
“What doctors?” asked Hex.
“The ones at the place where the orphanage sent us.They saw Pip playin’ the piano and wanted to open his head up.The others too.They did it to Melvin.I don’t think he sees good now.But he sure knows how to play.”
“He sure does,” smirked Eric.“Sutton, we would never, ever hurt children.If you come with us, we’ll make sure that you have whatever you need.Do you have parents?”
“No, sir.We were all orphans.Our folks were killed, me and Pip’s.The others were just left there.Miss Farmer, she was the lady at the orphanage, she was real good to us but then the doctors said they could help Pip.
“I kept runnin’ away to the hospital because I promised my daddy I’d watch out for him.They finally let me stay but I heard ‘em.I heard what they were gonna do and I heard the others screamin’ in their own way.Don’t know if you’ve ever heard a deaf person scream but it’s about the scariest thing ever.”
